In the Philippines there are hundreds of regional dialects; Tagalog, the national language, receives the highest recognition. Usually, Filipinos speak their own regional dialects at home and learn Tagalog at school. However, in Hong Kong the use of Tagalog and Filipino regional dialects are limited to the Filipino community representing about 1.9% of the population in Hong Kong (CSD, 2011). Therefore, they are viewed as some minority languages/dialects. The Filipinos speak Tagalog or their regional dialects with their own family, friends and colleagues from the same hometown.





















​

 

​

The residential Filipinos would speak Tagalog or Filipino regional dialects with Filipino colleagues, close friends and family.

Louie speaks the three dialects including Bolinao, Illocano and Tagalog with his family. While sharing secrets with his brothers, he would only use Bolinao, a dialect that is not mutually understood by every family member. Their mother tongue has a power of strengthening the family bonds and symbolizing a uniqueness and closeness of relationship.

Randy and Rose, whose kids are studying in the local school, and Louie and Garry imagining if they have kids in the future, would all teach their kids their own home dialects. To them, even they are living in Hong Kong, Tagalog and their home dialects are the signs of their Filipino identity. They all wish their kids could communicate with their compatriots. Regardless of their limited importance and low status in Hong Kong, to the Filipinos, Tagalog and the Filipino regional dialects remain their value in representing their identity in the Filipino community.

​



Similarly, the domestic helpers speak Tagalog and dialects out of workplace. The interviewed domestic helpers, Lanny, Layla and Lisa would have gathering with their Filipino friends in streets or church every Sunday. These ladies would stay together for the whole day sharing food, and talking about their work and families. In their conversation, they feel more comfortable to use Filipino language/dialects, which bring them a delightful sense of informality and draw a linguistic boundary encircling them.

Power of Tagalog/

Filipino Regional Dialects